Elastic braid



R. T. DAWES ELASTIC BRAID Feb. 27, 1934.

Filed Jan. 7, 1932 05.597 wflzw Patented Feb. 27, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 14 Claims.

This invention relates to elastic braids of the type used, for example, as adjuncts to garments and other forms of wearing apparel, and finds particular utility in such articles as shoe strings,

suspender attaching loops, and the like.

Heretofore elastic laces have commonly been made by braiding cotton orother textile yarn around an elastic core consisting usually of vulcanized rubber. While such laces are elastic to some extent they are not at all durable or satisfactory as the amount of stretch of such laces is limited by the weave or character of the outer covering. Thus if the covering be closely or tightly woven very little stretch is permitted and the elastic character desired is not attained. On the other hand, if the covering be loosely-woven about the rubber core to permit the requisite amount of stretch, the lacing, when normally contracted,- is unduly bulky, while its strength or holding power depends almost wholly upon the core element, to which the loose outer covering contributes little or nothing and after a short period of use the core breaks or loses enough of its elasticity to prevent contraction of the lacing to its normal dimensions and consequently the lacing more or less completely loses its desired elastic character. Moreover, as the outer covering is necessarily of a loose texture to permit stretching, it is easily abraded and worn off so as to expose the core, and when thus exposed the core soon deteriorates and breaks.

In accordance with the present invention, I prefer to make the entire lace of elastic thread or yarn instead of merely applying an outer covering to elastic core as above described. In such a material, (consisting wholly of independently elastic yarns 01' threads, associated to form a braid, for example) each of the constituent threads, acting independently of the others, elastically opposes elongation of the braid as a whole, and thus if one or more of the constituent threads should break during use, the elasticity of the braid as a whole is not wholly lost, 45 even though impaired to a slight degree.

As applied to shoe laces, the present invention has a further advantage in that it facilitates the ready formation of a tip without requiring the application of extraneous material. For example, when the elastic threads forming the braid consist of rubber filaments sheathedwlth a suitable covering, the braid, when subjected to heat and pressure, particularly if first moistened with a rubber solvent or suitable soiteningreagent, is 3 so consolidated as to form a good and eificient tip which retains its shape and stillness throughout the life of the lace.

In making this improved braid I prefer to use elastic threads each consisting of a filament of any desired cross section, such, for example, as may be produced by the extrusion (from a spinneret) of rubber latex into a suitable coagulant, the fine, regular and smooth-surfaced threads thus produced being then appropriately covered,- coated or sheathed, for example, by winding them with textile yarn. Alternatively, the elastic filament may be made by cutting from a sheet of proper thickness,the winding of the elastic filament with a tensioned yarn reducing the filament to substantially circular section whatever its original section may have been. It is thus possible to provide an elastic thread of very small and uniform diameter which is capable of being braideddn a braiding machine of the usual type without any'substantial change in the tension devicesordinarily employed. The elastic braid may thus be made at substantially the same rate of production as ordinary braid, and from yarns of a wide range of sizes, colors, and materials, such yarns being braided in accordance with any desired practice and of any appropriate cross section, the finished'braid being smooth and wear resistant and having no core to be exposed in use. The braid isthus of better appearance and more .desirable than previous elastic braids and is of wider usefulness. Since, as above noted, tips for shoe laces may readily be made from this v braid without the application of metal or other tip forming material, it is possible to make elastic shoe laces very cheaply and of better and more durable quality than has heretofore been possible.

While as above noted the invention is particularly useful in making shoe laces, I'do not wish to limit myself to this particular article and as another particular use have mentioned its employment in providing an attachment loop or frog for suspenders. Obviously other garment supporting devices may be made advantageously from this material and braids for. other purposes than I garment supports may likewise be formed in the same manner.

Illustrative embodiments of my invention are shown in the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a view of-a lace, made in accordance with my invention, in its normal contracted con dition;

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1 showing the lace in stretched or elongated condition; Figs. 3 and 4 are enlarged views of the end portions of the laces shown in Figs. 1 and 2, respectively, showing more clearly their integral tipped ends;

Figs. 5 and 6 are greatly enlarged fragmentary views in elevation and cross section, respectively, 5 of the elastic thread employed in the manufacture of my new braid';

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary elevation, on an enlarged scale, showing diagrammatically the strucventional bo'w knot; and I Fig. 10 is a plan view of an adjustable garment frog.

The lace shown by way of example in Figs. 1 to 4 comprise a tubular braid 10of elastic threads or strands 11, each of which, as shown in Figs. 5 and 6, consists of a rubber filament 12 of appropriate cross section, such as may be produced by the extrusion of rubber latex from a spinneret into a suitable coagulant, or by cutting a sheet of rubber of proper thickness, the rubber filaments each having a covering comprising overlapped textile strands 13 and 14 which are wound helically about the filament, While the latter is iinder tension to form a covered yarn such as shown in Fig. 5,. which is of substantially circular section due to the winding of the textile strands, while under tension, about the filament, and the resultant yarn is smooth, strong, and may be substantially as fine as ordinary textile yarns used for similar purposes. Obviously other appropriate forms of covering, whether of textile or other material, may be applied to the rubber filament, if desired. Such elastic threads are braided to form a lace having either a tubular structure, as shown in Figs. 1 to 4, or a flat tape or ribbon 10', as shown in Fig. 7. For this purpose a braiding machine of usual type may be employed Without the necessity of making any substantial change in the tension devices ordinarily employed.

The elastic braid thus formed may be provided with suitable tips 15 either before or after cutting into desired lengths. While the tips may be applied in any desired way, I preferably moisten the material at the proper point with a rubber solvent or softening reagent, and then subject the portion thus treated to heat and'pressure in a suitable die, as shown in Fig. 8, this latter operation expelling the solvent or softening reagent and consolidating the end portions of the rubber filaments to form a smooth and well-defined tip which will retain its shape and stifiness throughout the life of the lace.

Desirably instead of first cutting the braid into suitable lengths, spaced portions of a continuous run of braid may first be treated with the solvent and then subjected to heat and pressure as described, the treated portions being spaced a distance equal to the desired lengths of the indi-- vidual laces. After the completion of this operation the portions thus treated are severed by a central transverse cut, and thus a single treated portion provides the tips for the adjacent ends of two successive laces.

wise direction. Consequently, when the lace is tied in a knot, such for example as is shown in Fig. 9, the interlockedor knotted portions 21, he-

ing under tension, are abnormally contracted,

whereas the adjacent free portions 22 and 23 retain their normal diameter. and thus effectively overcome the tendency of the knot to loosen and become untied.'

The garment frog shown in Fig. 10 comprises a tubular braided structure provided with an integral sleeve 31 through which the free end 32 is passed. When the looped portion 33 is subjected to tension the walls. of the sleeve 31 contract around and firmly grip the free end 32, thus preventing any shift in its position in the sleeve. The loop 33 may be adjusted by relieving the tension and drawing the free end 32 in one direction or the other through the sleeve. A knot 34 may be tied adjacent to the tip of the free end to prevent the same from being accidentally drawn through the sleeve.

While the diiferent types of .braid herein shown and described preferably consist wholly of elastic threads, it is to be understood that my invention is not limited to this particular feature as a braid satisfactory for some purposes may be made by using strands of any suitable textile material in conjunction with elastic threads and employing the usual type of braiding machine. It may be desirable, however, in such case to use a different tension on the respective threads and to vary the same in accordance with the desired degree of elasticity of the braid as a whole.

I claim:

1. A lacing or the like article of the character described comprising a coreless tubular braided structure each of whose constituent strands is individually elastic.

2. A coreless tubular lacing or the like article of the character described comprising an elongate braided web consisting wholly of helically extending interbraided strands of elastic material. 3. A shoe lacing consisting of a flexible coreless tubular web consisting wholly of interbraided strands each of elastic material and provided with tips at its ends.

4. A tipped lacing or the like article of the character described comprising a tubular braided structure consisting of interbraided rubber filaments all of which are helically disposed.

5. A shoe lacing comprising an elongate braid devoid of straight elastic core members and consisting wholly of interbraided helically arranged covered rubber filaments. I

6. A lacing or the like article of the character described comprising an elongate web of associated strands of elastic material, and an integral tip comprising the consolidated end portions oi.

said strands.

7. A shoe lacing of tubular braided fabric consisting of interwoven strands of elastic material. and an integral tip comprising the consolidated end portions of said strands.

8. A shoe lacing comprising an elongate web consisting of associated strands, each consisting of a cylindrical filament of rubber provided with a textile cover, said lace having an integral tip I comprising the consolidated end portions of said strands. I

9. A shoe lace of tubular braided structure comprising strands each consisting of an elastic filament wound withtextile material. such lace having an integral tip comprising the consolidated viding a plurality of elastic filaments, and interbraiding all of said filaments to form an elongate v ,il,948,844

web all of. whose constituent filaments are heli-. I

cally arranged.

11; The method-or making laces and other articles or the like character which comprises providing a plurality of filaments of rubber. and

'inte'rbraidingsaid filaments to form an elongate tubular braid all of whose constituent filaments extend in helices about the axis of the braid;

12. Method of making tipped laces of the character disclosed which comprises braiding strands thereby to consolidate said portions into a tip integral with the braided body portion of the web.

13. Method of making tipped laces of the character disclosed which comprises braiding strands comprising rubber filaments to form an elongate tubular web, treating spaced portions of the web thus formed with a solvent, and subjecting the portions thus treated to the action of heat and pressure, thereby to expel the solvent and thus consolidate said portions to provide a tip integral with the braided body portion.

14. Method of making tipped laces of the character disclosed which comprises associating strands of rubber filaments to form an elongate tubular web, treating the end portions of the web thus formed with a softening reagent to soften said end portions, and subjecting the portions thus treated to the action of heat and pressure, thereby to consolidate said end portions into a tip integral with the body. portion of the web.

' v ROBERT T. DAWES. 

